A message from Council Chair Roy Mills:
My very sincere best regards to members, adherents and friends of the Trinity Family. I will not linger on the challenges and emotional stress we have all experienced over the last two years except to state the obvious… none of us has been through this experience before. In venturing into the pandemic maze in March 2020, nobody really had a map. We have had to find our own path with the guidance and advice of others. Our Council has been resolute that we avail ourselves of the best advice obtainable to protect the health and safety of our congregation, staff and minister. Our hopes and plans have risen and fallen like the ocean tides more often than I can count but our congregation and Council have remained strong and united in our community of faith at Trinity.
As once again, we are in a cautionary closure due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, we look forward with hope that “this too will pass” and February will bring new hope for a fresh start. Council has been amazing in their dedication to Trinity. Every member has remained in place during the pandemic including Barton MacLean, our past chair. We have guided the business and mission of Trinity with the support of our Trinity Family and the services of “Zoom” to the best of our ability. Art Dawson and the Property Committee have been excellent stewards of our beloved church and guided our temporary return to worship throughout the fall of 2021. Every Council member deserves my thanks for their commitment to task and their support of the Chair this year.
The road back to normal will present many twists and bumps…the pandemic metaphors abound… and I am about to use one that Jesus shared in a memorable parable. He spoke of the shepherd who leaves his whole flock in search of one lost lamb. Our challenge has many similarities, although we won’t leave our flock unattended. We know there are lost lambs from our flock and we wonder how we can reach out to find them in these dark days of winter. Emails are the primary means of communication of necessity in these times and Carol Goodman and the Membership and Pastoral Care Committee have made a valiant effort to maintain telephone and personal contact with many of our older members. The UCW has maintained ongoing contact with members as well, remembering special dates and delivering newsletters and personal greetings.
We acknowledge and appreciate the leadership of our minister and staff who, like the rest of us in this pandemic, find themselves cast into the waters of uncertainty and challenge. With diligence and creative energy, they have helped us pivot to online worship and work, to create new avenues of communication and support, and in doing so, have worked endless hours to lead, equip, and help during this time.
Mutual connections and communication are so important. During this time of partial lock-down, we will conduct a phone campaign to check in with all our Trinity families. The purpose is simple. We need to continue to build up connections in different ways than usual (i.e., in lieu of in person worship and work), offering words of encouragement, and to simply say hello. We also encourage you, as a part of this community of faith, to reach out and encourage one another.
